“I’ll have to call and thank her.” Looking at Silas, she lowered her pride enough to explain, “I’m afraid I don’t have any friends where my things are, or I could have asked them to send me a few of my clothes. The majority of my time was spent working.” Alanna felt herself turn red. Several of the men and women whom she had worked with had made attempts to become friendlier , which she had sidestepped with a variety of excuses to keep a distance between them.

She hated the thought of Silas thinking she was a total loser.

He gave her an understanding smile, which soothed her ruffled pride. “Diamond said you live in Ohio?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t expect the judge is going to give you a pass to leave the state anytime soon.”

“No, he won’t,” she agreed. “When I get paid, I’ll buy what I need.”

“The boys are always up for a road trip. Go through the clothes Diamond gave you and make a list of items you want from your home. Ginny and the boys can go on Saturday.”

“Ginny? I can’t ask—”

“Ginny’s been waiting to go baby shopping for a couple of weeks. This will give her an excuse to visit a big city to shop. She’s having a girl this time around and wants to buy all the girly stuff she missed out on buying with Freddy.”

“Still …”

“Boys been needing a few things, too. You’d be doing them all a favor.”

Dispirited, Alanna knew she had little choice but to accept their help. The more she talked with Silas, the more she was beginning to realize that on the surface, he came across as laidback and affable, yet he somehow managed to lead her in the direction he wanted her to go. The thought had her jerkily walking to the closet to disguise her reaction. She was just overreacting, she told herself, staring inside the closet at the clothes Mrs. Bates had sent her.

Something was bothering her about Silas. It was unexplainable, but there was an inkling at the back of her mind trying to get out, and the more she tried to interpret what it was trying to tell, the more the feeling retreated.

“Ginny’s got dinner on the table. I hope you’re hungry.”

She was about to deny she was, but Silas didn’t give her the opportunity to refuse.

“Ginny’s been cooking all day, so you would have your choice of options,” he said wryly. “She didn’t want to offend you if you’re vegan, or there is a type of food you don’t like, so she covered her bases.”

“Your sister shouldn’t have gone to any trouble for me. I don’t want to impose myself on your family’s gatherings—”